A Crown of Thorns
by JapaneseDeer
Summary: True to her name, her hair is as dark as night and her blood is as red as roses. What terrors will this little rose bring the earl, his butler and his manor? Chess has always been a battle of wits, and she is no pawn in anyone's game. [Sebastian x OC x Claude] Anime and mangaverse. Rating is subject to change.
1. Entry 1

**A/N: **This was begging to be written, I swear. I couldn't help myself. This will be set both in the anime and the manga universe. The first chapters will be set on the anime timeline, and I will manipulate the events in season two to make a transition from the anime to the manga. I do hope I pull it off!

The chapters are rated M for language, graphic scenes and occasional nudity.

I do not own Kuroshitsuji.

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_"But he who dares not grasp the thorn should never crave the rose." - Anne Bronte_

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_**Dear Diary,**_

I have returned recently from Italy where I finished early with my degree in the arts only to find that our home has been burned to the ground. They said that arsonists set fire to the manson, but I believe otherwise. The place has been ransacked but nothing valuable has been taken. The room to the family treasury remained unopened; everything was still in place except for my father's laboratory.

I believe that it was the bidding of the queen and her watchdog. My father has long detested the queen for disallowing him to continue his experiments, and I am afraid he has gone too far this time. He should have known from the start that what is dead may never rise.

Strangely enough, I felt nothing when the letter came to my study. However, as soon as I saw their bodies, I wept for hours. Everybody is dead. Mother, father, little Tom and little Anna.. They are all gone, and I am left alone with ashes, riches and the burden of being the solitary heir of the Blackrose name. Where was I to go? Who was I to call?

From here on out, I was alone with only this diary in hand.

I stayed inside my singed home for a day or two, cradling the bodies of Anna and Tom as I served tea to my mother and father. I dragged their bodies up and down the stairs, to my bedroom, to the kitchen, the parlor, the patio and to the gardens. I would tell them of how lovely it was to stay in Paris and that they should come by sometime. I brushed Anna's hair and tied it in a loose bun, and I could not help but chastise Tom for teasing his little sister. My mother laughed at this while my father remained as stoic as ever. I cradled all of them on my lap as I slept on my dusty bed. We all slumbered soundly that night.

The sadness consumed me, and I was in denial of their deaths as I hoped and prayed that they would open their eyes.

But they didn't.

It was as I've said earlier: the dead may never rise.

It was only until the postman alerted the Scotland Yard that there was a ghost inside the Blackrose estate that I was pulled from my nightmarish reverie. They all looked at me with disgust on their faces as I cried out when they took my family away from me. Little Anna, little Tom, mother and father were gone in the blink of an eye, and I would never see them again.

Apparently, the scent of their burnt, decaying bodies were unbearable, yet all I could smell was the thick, oriental incense that my mother was very fond of. Some of them threw up on my mother's lion fur carpet, and I couldn't help but narrow my eyes.

The Queen had requested my appearance shortly after I was bathed and dressed accordingly. She has decided to send me to the Phantomhive estate with the earl and his butler while my home was being rebuilt. I could only nod in response. She was trying to console me by saying that House Blackrose was one of the most loyal and virtuous houses of all time, but her words gave me no comfort.

I prepared myself gingerly for the funeral. I tied my long, black-violet hair into a fishtail braid and allowed it to hung loosely on my shoulders. If mother were here, she would have tied it up in an elegant bun in a few minutes time. The paleness of my skin was a stark contrast to the dark hues of velvet dress. My mourning veil covered my amethyst eyes quite well. I didn't want strangers to see me crying.

There was a grand ceremony, and there was a sea of people I didn't even know. I should have expected it though. We are nobility after all. Most of them offered me what seemed to be sincere condolences while some did their best to mask their indifference.

I was too tired to cry, and I could only watch with half lidded eyes as they began shoveling dirt on top their caskets. A part of me wished they simply buried me along with my family. It was quick and uneventful and only the Phantomhive boy and his devilish butler stayed to witness my mourning. Thankfully, they didn't tell me to be quick.

I am now residing in the Phantomhive manor. It is a strange place. It is both homely and formal at the same time. The servants are strange characters, but they mean no harm. The butler is far more stranger. He is always smiling, always perfect and always adheres to his master's orders. The earl is young and cold, but I'm not surprised. He was the Queen's Watchdog, and even has to be guarded at all times.

I am honestly at a loss for words. I am beginning to get quite sleepy, and I am far too tired to write. A lot has happened the past two weeks, and my memory has been jarred from constant emotional breakdown, hysteria and trauma. I want to preserve my memories pristinely should I begin forget, thus, I have written all that I remember in these pages.

This diary will serve as the truth.

**_Signed by my own blood and written in my own ink,_**  
**_Victoria Blackrose_**

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**A/N: **Tell me what you think via reviews or messages. I would really appreciate it if you did as it fuels my writing mojo!


	2. Entry 2

**A/N: **Ah~ I should really concentrate on my studies.. Unfortunately, I am just so into writing A Crown of Thorns probably because I've been rereading that manga and rewatching the anime. It makes me sad that my little gem has garnered only one review, but thank you for the handful of people that decided to follow this story of mine. Forgive me for a rather short and passive chapter. Worry not! Things will be interesting soon enough! I just need sometime for Ciel, Sebastian and Victoria to get to know each other!

**Slowbear**, he will make an appearance. All in due time, my friend!

I do not own Kuroshitsuji.

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_**Dear Diary,**_

As I've said in my first entry, the Phantomhive manor is quite strange.

I was woken up this morning by the butler who introduced himself as Sebastian Michaelis. He told me that breakfast and tea would be served in a while and that it would be best if I get dressed immediately for the earl was already waiting. I was expecting him to go out, yet he stayed and insisted to help me with my corset. He promised me that he would close his eyes, and I believed him. I peered at him with the corner of my eyes, and indeed, his eyes were closed.

With a barely audible whisper, he told me to start undressing.

I slipped off the silky material of my nightgown down my arms and allowed it to fall to the floor. I stood there in my entire nakedness, nude and vulnerable. I could not help but stare at my marred reflection. I could see clearly the small scars that dotted my back. From afar, they looked like constellations, but I know better than to romanticise pain. These scars were a constant reminder of my lineage, of the secrets of my blood.

I dared to stare at my reflection once more. The milky complexion, the black-violet hair and the amethystine eyes were features attributed to the Blackrose family. Despite inheriting all three from my father, I looked exactly like my mother. They would always tell me that I would grow up and become a beautiful woman worthy of the Blackrose name. It was painful to look at my own reflection; it was as if I was looking back at my parents.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I dressed into my drawer and camisole before wrapping the corset around my torso. I cleared my throat, becoking him to begin. His cold, long fingers brushed against me so gently. It was almost as if he was afraid that I would break at his touch. He worked his way through the eyelets of my corset expertly, and he finished his task quickly. Sebastian opened his eyes and smiled at me politely, asking if he has tied it way too tight or way too lose to my liking. He stopped midway his sentence when he saw a spider resting quietly on the canopy of my bed. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the sight of the gold-eyed arachnid.

"Don't worry, my lady. I will be sure to eliminate this pest immediately," he reassured with a sugary tone.

I didn't say anything. I have never been afraid of spiders. What was there to fear in eight legged creatures that were far smaller than you?

* * *

The Earl greeted me good morning and introduced himself as Ciel Phantomhive, the owner of Funtom Company. He gave me a stuffed bear, and I think he misunderstood. I was a lady, not a child. It was slightly insulting, and I thought he meant to offend until his butler informed me that it had been fragranced with lavender to help me sleep.

How kind and thoughtful of the earl.

I introduced myself to him as the Marchioness of South Hampton, Lady Victoria Alice Blackwood. It felt strange when those words rolled off my tongue. It was a title I inherited from the death of my parents, and I would always remember that.

I bowed deeply to show respect to the earl who was to take care of me and he did the same. He offered me his arm, and I took it hesitantly. He was rigid to my touch as I was to his. Both of us were merely being civil to each other, and we both knew that both of us were just playing our part.

The world of the nobility truly is quite odd. Everyone is required to be polite and to pretend that all is well. Though it is true that some lords and ladies were truly of goodwill, there are many out there who are no better than wolves. They bite the hand that feeds them to satisfy their insatiable hunger for wealth, women and wine. I could never understand them.

He led me to the dining room which was festive and grand. There was an assortment of food lined up, yet it seemed that were the only ones who would be eating. Breakfast was silent for the most part, but I couldn't help but let out a small purr when the caramel flan melted in my mouth.

It tasted really good. It tasted like summer. It tasted like home.

Lunch and dinner was, unfortunately, uneventful. Sebastian gave me a tour of the Phantomhive estate, and I was introduced to the disastrous housekeepers of the earl. They were all helpless, but they all seemed kind. They kept me company throughout the afternoon. The three were a bundle of laughter, and they made me smile more often than I could count.

They were warm like family.

I was still tired, and I decided to retire to my room. Strangely enough, the spider that the butler was insistent on killing was perched on top of my canopy. I watched it, and it simply looked back at me with its golden eyes.

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Tonight, I shall sleep soundly in my warm bed with the butler right outside my door. It seems that they do not trust me. With our reputation for bloodshed, they had ever reason not to.

_'Roses aren't always beautiful, and they aren't always red.' _It was something my father used to say often. I think I understood his words now

I miss you, father, mother, little Tom and little Anna. Until we meet.

_**With Love,**_  
_**Victoria Blackrose**_


	3. Entry 3

**A/N: **Hey everyone! I was on a roll the other day, and I've finally decided to post it. It's a bit longer than the last and offers more insight as to who Victoria is. This story is somewhat.. A slow burner. I intend on straining the relationship between Sebastian, Victoria and Claude to further develop Victoria. Thought it seems difficult to string these three, strange characters together, I can't wait for the sparks to start flying!

Though this didn't get the initial response I was hoping for, I do hope you all enjoy reading A Crown of Thorns. Thank you to those who followed and faved A Crown of Thorns! Please review! I would really love to know what you guys think!

_I do not own Kuroshitsuji._

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_**Dear Diary, **_

The Phantomhive manor is quite a boring place to be. The earl is always busy with paperwork and the butler is too uptight. There is not much to do here but read and read and read. I have seen a piano in the salon, but I never dared to ask. I would often see Ciel cast it contemptuous looks whenever he would pass by it.

After breakfast, I would stay in his study and read books until it was time for tea. We would have idle chitchat about the weather, chess and tea. Sometimes, we would talk about what I was reading, but he would always lose interest rather quickly. He was not much of a conversationalist, and I was not very talkative either. We often enjoyed each other's company in silence. He was always busy with his duty as the queen's watchdog while I was too preoccupied lamenting over the death of my family the past three days.

Come afternoon, the butler would often whisk me away when the earl would have private matters to attend to. Sebastian was far more talkative than Ciel and proved to be decent company. He was a charmer with his tongue, but I could not bring myself to trust him. He was far too perfect and pleasing, and I could tell that he was simply masking his true self under smiles and pleasantries. It is obvious that he does not like me. He chides me in the subtlest way possible, and I merely pretend not to notice.

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Today was my fourth day under the care of Earl Phantomhive. What started of as a rather dull day became a very interesting afternoon! Ciel had invited me to play chess over afternoon tea. I spent the entire morning in anticipation of our bloodless warfare and found it difficult to concentrate on Shakespeare's elaborate poetry.

Finally, the butler came with a trolley of tea and an assortment of sweets when the clock tolled 4:00PM.

"For today's afternoon tea, we will be having Belgian chocolate cake, custard tart, apple cinnamon pie and constant comment tea for the lord and the lady," he declared smoothly before serving us our refreshments.

My eyes glazed at the sight of the Belgian chocolate cake, and I waited patiently for Sebastian to serve me a slice of the sugary delights on his cart and the spiced tea that I was not very fond of. I could not help but let out a purr of delight as the overwhelming sweetness of the various sweets tingled my tongue. I saved the chocolate cake for last, savoring the rich, chocolate icing with every bite. I was tempted to ask for more, but my father's words rang clearly in my ears.

_"A lady never requests for seconds."_

If I had another slice, I'm sure my father would have dragged himself out of his casket just to scold me. I could imagine him scowling at the sight of me eating three slices of cake in a matter of minutes, and at that, I could not help but suppress a smile.

You see, in the Blackrose manor, we never had sweets. Father would always scold us whenever we would spoil ourselves with sugar, saying that sugar would only rot our teeth until they fell out. It had happened to me once before. He had spoiled me with sweets much to my mother's chagrin, and my teeth were soon overrun with cavities. He watched with terror in his eyes as the dentist plucked my teeth out. The blood spilled from my mouth and my eyes were puffy from crying throughout the entire ordeal. After that, he told the family cook to never bake sweets again. Little did he know that whenever he was away, mother would do her best to bake us her infamous Russian tea cakes. Little Tom and little Anna would always fight over the white, little balls, and I would often be left with one or two for myself.

"Is the chocolate cake to your liking, Lady Victoria?" The butler asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"_Tres bien_, Sebastian," I replied with a small smile.

Shortly after I finished eating, we began the game.

Though I had the advantage of having the first move, he did not make it any easier for me. The earl was good, but I was even better. I knew the chessboard like the back of my hand because my father taught me how to play chess at a very young age. I would never forget all the hours we would spend trying to outwit each other. He would always tell me that chess was ultimately a game of murder, and that I should choose my pieces and my moves carefully.

Pawn after pawn, I knocked them off with my queen, and they fell to the board with a soft thud. He was quick to parry my attacks on his ranks, but he was a hundred years too early to outplay me. He should have known better than to challenge me, for I was named Victoria for a reason.

Before we knew it, we were down to our last pieces and the earl did not seem too pleased. His king was trapped between my knight, my bishop and my queen. The earl did not say anything; he simply looked at me with a sliver of anger in his eyes.

He had lost.

With a flick of my finger, I sent the remaining chess pieces down in a royal tumble.

"Tea was lovely, Earl Phantomhive." And with those parting words, I left.

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The walk back to my room was quiet except for soft footfalls against the carpeted floor. The candles flickered as a cold breeze blew by, and I saw a shadow in my peripheral looming behind me. The hairs at the back of my neck stood up, and I felt true fear for the first time in years. I wanted to scream and shout, but my voice had betrayed me. I dared to crane my head back to take a look, and ruby red eyes met my amethystine orbs. I ran to my room as fast as my feet could carry me, and I ended up running into the Sebastian.

Seeing the panicked look in my eyes, the butler held me in his chest and caressed my hair as I breathed heavily. I was a nervous mess, and I could still feel my heart beating like war drums inside my ribcage. He murmured sweet nothings in my ear, saying that I would be fine and no harm would come my way as long as I was under the protection of the earl. His voice was as smooth as velvet, and it immediately soothed my haywire nerves. I merely nodded in response, suddenly ashamed of my cowardice as a scarlet blush crawled to my cheeks.

Thankfully, the butler accompanied me to my room and helped me into my nightgown. Despite the numerous candles, I could not help but look around my room warily, my violet eyes searching for the shadow that had followed me to my room. There was no one else in my room except for the butler and the spider. Still, I could not shake off the feeling of being watched. He looked at me, as if to ask if there was anything wrong, and I shook my head.

"Relax, Lady Victoria. It was just a harmless crow," he said with a reassuring smile. "But if I were you, I would be more worried of the troublesome spiders lurking in your room. They're poisonous after all."

"I will be right outside your room the entire night, my lady. Good night, Lady Victoria." He left shortly afterwards and stayed by the door as promised.

_**Sweetest dreams,  
**__**Victoria Blackrose**_

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**A/N: **_Update as of July 29, 2014:_ Hello dear readers! I have decided not to update this story until I reach a certain number of reviews. Every follow, favorite and review makes me want to update A Crown of Thorns, and it's keeping me away from my studies. ; w ;

_(But knowing myself, I probably won't be true to my word. I can't resist these adorable demons. ; ^ ;!)_

Until the next chapter!


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